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Debate Worksheet: Strong and Weak Evidence

Debate lesson 3: Strong and weak evidence · Set 229 · 40 questions
TalentJR

Debater's tip (Relevant, specific, reliable): Relevant: does it talk about the topic of the motion? Specific: does it say exactly who, what, where or how many? “30 of 40 students” beats “lots of students”. Reliable: can we trust where it came from? Records, textbooks and official bodies beat rumours and unsigned posts.

NameDateTime takenScore ___ / 40
  1. 1.True or false: “Lots of people think so.” is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  2. 2.True or false: measured results from our class experiment is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  3. 3.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Lots of students like it.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
  4. 4.🔎 Which source is most reliable in a debate on saving water? (a) a guess (b) the city water board (c) an unsigned poster (d) a chat forward
  5. 5.🔎 Which is more specific? (a) 30 of 40 students (b) lots of students
  6. 6.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a fact from our science textbook? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  7. 7.True or false: the school nurse’s record of sick days is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  8. 8.True or false: In a debate on saving water: “My favourite colour is green.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) True (b) False
  9. 9.True or false: “My neighbour heard it from someone.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) True (b) False
  10. 10.True or false: “It is good for many reasons.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) True (b) False
  11. 11.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “My cousin said so.”? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  12. 12.🔎 Before using a number in a debate, you should… (a) check where it came from (b) make it bigger (c) round it to 100 (d) hide the source
  13. 13.True or false: one friend’s guess is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  14. 14.True or false: one friend’s guess is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  15. 15.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a survey of 300 students in our school? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  16. 16.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the attendance register for the whole year? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  17. 17.True or false: “My cousin said so.” is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  18. 18.True or false: measured results from our class experiment is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  19. 19.True or false: “Studies show things.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) True (b) False
  20. 20.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: an unsigned post with no source? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  21. 21.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on school gardens: “Cricket is popular in India.” (a) not specific (b) not relevant (c) not reliable
  22. 22.True or false: the school library’s record of books borrowed is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  23. 23.True or false: “Lots of students like it.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) False (b) True
  24. 24.True or false: “Lots of students like it.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) True (b) False
  25. 25.🔎 A fact about cricket in a debate on school uniforms is… (a) very strong (b) not relevant (c) very specific
  26. 26.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “It is good for many reasons.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  27. 27.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on homework: “Mount Everest is very tall.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  28. 28.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a rumour forwarded in a chat group? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  29. 29.True or false: a survey of 300 students in our school is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  30. 30.True or false: “Everybody knows it.” is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  31. 31.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Studies show things.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
  32. 32.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a story you are not sure about? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  33. 33.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “My neighbour heard it from someone.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
  34. 34.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A website with no name says so.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  35. 35.True or false: “Some people say it helps somehow.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) False (b) True
  36. 36.True or false: “I saw it on a random poster once.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) True (b) False
  37. 37.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “I saw it on a random poster once.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  38. 38.True or false: an unsigned post with no source is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  39. 39.🔎 What makes evidence strong? (a) funny and short (b) old and vague (c) loud and long (d) relevant and reliable
  40. 40.True or false: “Everybody knows it.” is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False

Answer key

  1. True
  2. False
  3. not specific
  4. the city water board
  5. 30 of 40 students
  6. strong evidence
  7. True
  8. True
  9. False
  10. True
  11. weak evidence
  12. check where it came from
  13. True
  14. False
  15. strong evidence
  16. strong evidence
  17. True
  18. True
  19. False
  20. weak evidence
  21. not relevant
  22. True
  23. True
  24. False
  25. not relevant
  26. not specific
  27. not relevant
  28. weak evidence
  29. False
  30. False
  31. not specific
  32. weak evidence
  33. not reliable
  34. not reliable
  35. True
  36. False
  37. not reliable
  38. False
  39. relevant and reliable
  40. True

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